Not long ago I was babysitting my (at that time) less than eighteen-month-old grandson, Roman. For lunch, his parents prepared a variety of items, two of which were peaches and some string cheese. I gave him his bowl of peaches along with his spoon. Tearing the cheese into smaller pieces I laid those on his high-chair tray. What he did next caused me to wonder. With each piece of cheese he methodically and carefully placed it into his bowl of peaches. He then ate them together with each spoon full. Spontaneously, we began to sing a made-up-on-the-spot song with the words: I got cheese in my peaches, I got cheese in my peaches, I got cheese in my peaches all day long — all day long!

Later I realized that I too like cheese and fruit together. Years ago while in Scotland, I was introduced to a spreadable cheese which they taught me to place on my toast. Secondly came a beautiful fruit jam on top of the cheese spread. Ever since then, I have on many occasions, placed cheese and fruit jam on my morning toast. (Stop laughing and give it a try, it’s actually really good.) Perhaps Roman was playing with his food at the time, but he found a combination that worked for his taste buds. Traditions are like that. Some of them begin by mistake, but end up becoming a part of our life. The dictionary states that traditions are elements of culture handed down from one generation to another. Have you discovered some good and some not so good generational traditions handed down to you? I certainly have and it reminds me of a key, life-changing verse in the book of Peter that I am extremely thankful for.

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers. I Peter 1: 18